Apparatus foe the in



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. A. TRAPP.

APPARATUS FOR THE INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS FROM WITHOUT.

Patented Sept. 4

V a v Mi Z72 wv'ar r 0 Z n e U m a WM.

(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

E. A. TRAPP.

APPARATUS FOR THE INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS PRDM WITHOUT. No. 388,934. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

ihvrren STATES A'rhNir Orrin EDTVARD A. 'TRAPP, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR THE lNSPECTiON OF BUiLDINGS FROM WlTHOUT.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,934, dated September 4, 1888.

Serial No. 25 ,553. (No model:

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. TRAPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New Yorlghaveinvcnted a new and useful Improvement in Optical Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in an arrangement of devices, hereinafter described, for the observation of localities or objects separated from the observer by either walls, ceilings, floors, or other articles which would obstruct the view under ordinary circumstances, and it is based on the fundamental law of optics that the angle of reflection from a plane mirror is equal to the angle of incidence.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a single box provided with a reflecting-mirror and connected with tubes for receiving the direct and reflected rays from the objects desired to be rendered visible at certain points. Fig. 2 is a front view of same. Fig. 3 isa top view of same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a series of tubes extending at right angles to each other and having at their corners or meet iug ends boxes with mirrors, such as are shown on a larger scale in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the lower part of a building prov ided with the series of tubes and mirror-boxes arranged to enable an otiicer on the sidewalk to examine the interior of the room without entering the building or causing any alarm, and als o to gmit the janitor on the upper lloor to make alilvvexainination without leaving his apartments. Fig. 6 is a front view of the invention, employing in this instance a movable reflecting-mirror. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of same. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are vertical sections of modified forms of the mirror-boxes. Figs. 11 and 12 are vertical sections through eye-pieces for the use of the person making observations, and Figs. 13 and let are like views of end pieces for connection with the end of the system of pipes opposite to the eyepiece.

In the drawings, A designates the mirrorboxes, connected with, and arranged at the meeting ends of tubes C and provided with the hinged covers TV, carrying on their inner face the reflecting-mirrors T3. The covers may be opened on their hinges at will, so as to disclose the mirrors B and permit them to be cleaned or changed.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the complete arrangement of the boxes A and tubes G is shown,in which it will be seen that one end of the system of tubes is provided with an end piece, E, and the other end with a mirror box havinga short tube or eye-piece, D. The end piece, E, may be simply open at its extremity, or said ex tremity may be provided with a double convex lens, G, as shown in Fig. 13, or with a double concave lens, H, as illustrated in Fig. 14. The mirror B,applied to the cover of the box A, may a so be either plain, as indicated in Fig. 1, or convex, as shown at B in Fig. 9, or concavc,,as denoted by B in Fig. 10. As indicated at b b. Figs. 1, 6, S, 9, and 10, the angles of reflection and angles of incidence are equal. The eye-piece D is supplied with a pivoted cover or lock-slide, X, of well-known form, for protection and the exclusion of dust, as shown in Figs. 1, 6, 7, 11. and 12, and may also, if desired, be furnished with a convex lens,G, as shown in Fig. 11,0r a concave lens, H, as indicated in Fig. 12.

The operation or method of using the apparatus sought to be protected may probably be best understood by reference to Fig. 5, which illustrates two rooms of a building, one room being on a level with the street and the other on the door above, and supplied with ofiice-furniture and a safe, F. It will be ob served on reference to this figure that the eyepiece D passes through the outer wall of the building and connects with the reflector or mirror box A, from which the vertical pipe 0 ascends to the upper corner of the upper room, where another reflector or mirror box, A, is provided, this box being connected with the horizontal tube 0, extending along the ceiling and having at its extremity the additional mirror-box A, provided with the endpiece E, this latter being directly over the safe or other part of the room, the image of which it is desired shall be reflected by means of the mirrors E to the eyepiece D. The officer on the sidewalk is enabled by the aid of the series of tubes and mirror-boxesto observe the safe F or other part of the room,

according to the location of the end pieces, E, for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the same is being disturbed or tampered with.

In the use of the system of tubes it is necessary, of con rse, that the room shall be lighted in order that the image thereof may be properly reflected by the mirrors B.

The invention is a protection not only against burglars, but by means of the tubes and reflector-boxes the officer can determine whether or not the gas in the room is lighted, and if it is not it will either indicate that the room has been entered or that thejanitor has been derelict in omitting to light the gas.

The exact position of the end piece, IE, will be governed largely according to the arrangement of the room in whichit is used, the pur pose being to have it over that portion ,of the room which it is desired shall be exposed to View of the offieer on the sidewalk.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate, also, the pipes C C, provided with an end piece, E, leading up ward to the janitors apartments, in order to permit the room to be observed from that location as well as from the sidewalk.

In instances where the locality containing articles to be placed under the observation of the officer is of extended area, an independent movable mirror, B", will be made use of, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. This mirror B will be arranged over the end of the tube 0, the lower end of the tube being connected with the mirror-box A and the eye-piece D, as shown. The mirror B is pivot-ally secured bet-ween the arms m, so as to be capable of turning therein, and the rear end of the mirror is provided with an extension, n, having an elongated slot, through which passes the pivot t. the latter being connected with the upper end of the drawrod w, which extends downward to a point adjacent to the eye-piece D, in position to be operated by the officer or other person looking into the said eye-piece, the pur:

pose of the draw-rod being to alter the position of the mirror B, so as to change its angle and range of reflection without removing the same beyond the range of vision of the tube 0.

I do not limit the invention of course to any particular mechanism for moving the mirror B either laterally or vertically, since this portion of the mechanism is merely incidental to the invention, and may be used in the condition illustrated in the drawings, if desired, or other forms of mechanism for accomplishing the same purpose may be substituted therefor without altering the character of the invention sought to be protected hereby; The drawrod 10 will permit the movement of the mirror B to such an extent as to allow the person looking into the eye-piece D to alter the range of vision to reflect various parts of the room or locality in which the invention may be in use.

The advantages of being able to inspect the interior of banking-rooms and similar places of business from the sidewalk at night by the janitor or watchman will suggest themselves, and the various uses to which the invention may be put both for publicservice andprivate convenience do not require to be specifically described.

The boxes and tubes will be constructed and arranged so as not to mar the appearance of the room in which they are used, and will, when occasion permits, be built into the walls of the house.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The box A, having a cover adapted to be opened or closed and carrying the mirror on its inner face, combined with the tubes connected with said box, the mirror being-at equal angles with the axial lines of the tubes, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The box A, having a cover adapted to be opened or closed and carrying the mirror on its inner face, combined with the tube con nected with said box, the eye-piece, and the movable mirror B substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The series of tubes 0, extending at angles to each other, one end of the series having an eyepiece and the other end an end piece, combined with the boxes A at the meeting ends of said tubes, and the mirrors B, within said boxes at equal angles with the axial lines of the tubes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

EDWARD A. TBAPP.

Witnesses:

A. \V. BAILEY, F. H. OsIE. 

